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Appointments boost blockchain payment platform

Blockchain-based payments platform Travel Ledger Alliance has bolstered its advisory board with two new appointments.

Travel payments specialists Javier Gallego, formerly of IATA, and John Melchior, who has worked on commission settlement for the hotel and TMC sectors, are the new members of the advisory board.

Travel Ledger is a blockchain-based platform that will allow all billing records from the buyers and sellers of travel services to be stored in a “shared, decentralised and authenticated ledger”.

Roberto Da Re, Travel Ledger’s founder, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Javier and John as part of the advisory team. Their long experience in the core sectors of Travel Ledger will be an invaluable asset for the Travel Ledger team as the project enters the next exciting phase of development.”

Travel Ledger will initially focus on delivering a travel supplier’s invoice to the buyer. But the project aims to move on to automating bank and card-based payments, as well as the use of cryptocurrencies.

The alliance will concentrate on the day-to-day running of the platform and managing it for the benefit of its members.

Gallego, who previously worked as the global lead for IATA Settlement Services and Operations, said: “I am very pleased to be involved with the Travel Ledger initiative.

“I believe the timing is right and the technology is now ready for the non-air sector to benefit from similar billing and settlement services as airlines. It is very interesting that this new initiative has a truly co-operative approach.”

Melchior added: “I have always been an advocate for technology that increases efficiency and reduces cost. This exciting development has the potential to do both in a big way and will increase profitability, transparency and efficiency for everyone involved in the Hotel segment of our business.”